Vienna Symphonic Library has announced the release of Vienna MIR, the multi-impulse response convolution reverb (see below for more details). So far it’s only available as a stand-alone application running on Vista/Windows 7 64-bit systems with massive power.
From the Vienna press release:
In traditional production, the mixing console is a barrier between the music creator and the music environment. A skilled engineer can combine tracks and add reverb to create sonic results that are somewhere between real and surreal. But that’s not the most musical way to work.
Rather than mixing from the outside in, a Vienna MIR project starts with each individual instrument or ensemble, taking into account how sound emanates from its body, in what direction, and in relation to its position in the hall. The MIR Control Icon is a quick and easy way to move and rotate instruments freely on the concert stage, and to change their volume and stereo width – not with two-dimensional faders and pan pots, but within a fluid three-dimensional environment. Vienna MIR combines directional and reflectional information from every instrument, assembling all of the acoustic interactions into an accurate and satisfying recreation of musicians playing their instruments in place and in space.
Vienna’s software developers have taken the concept of convolution reverberation to the absolute authentic extreme. Vienna MIR includes a total of over 11,000 impulse responses from four halls and from the foyer of the famous Vienna Konzerthaus, rendering space as the unifying presence that merges every single instrument into one authentic sound experience.
I must say, this sounds like a very exciting concept! I have on occasions contemplated on just how a better convolution reverb could be created. I’m happy to see some development in this area. As far as I know, this is only the second time this has happened (with the first being VirSyn Reflect, combining convolution and algorithmic reverbs). Unfortunately, I don’t have the horsepower to try it. Have a look at these staggering system requirements.
System Requirements
Since the software is a mixing host, it is required that the user’s Vienna Instruments Collections as well as Vienna MIR are installed on the very same computer. This demands a lot of CPU power and RAM. Therefore Vienna’s developers are providing detailed recommendations on the required system specifications.
For smaller projects, e.g., for users of the Vienna Special Editions:
• PC Intel Quad-Core i7-920 or better, with Vista/Windows 7 64-bit
• 12 GB RAMFor larger projects:
• PC Dual Intel Quad Core XEON 5520 or better, with Vista/Windows 7 64-bit
• 24 GB RAMFurther system requirements for all setups:
• ViennaKey (Vienna Symphonic Library protection device or other USB eLicenser)
• eLicenser License Control Center 5.4.18.2
• DirectX 10-capable video card with support for OpenGL 2.1
• Audio device with ASIO 2.9 compatible drivers for 64-bit systems (needs multi-client-capability if sequencer runs on the same computer)
• 4 GB free disk space for default RoomPack (5 Halls of the Vienna Konzerthaus)Vienna MIR does not support AMD processors and Windows XP64.
If you decide to order Vienna MIR before the end of August, you will receive a free MIR RoomPack as soon as it becomes available. The package will include multi-impulse responses of three ORF sound stages and will be offered as a download product for €295 later in the Fall. Vienna MIR itself is €795, the computer to run it will be significantly more.
